Hinge lock



- E. J. SHEA April 9,1935.

HINGE LOCK Filed March 27, 1934 S S E N h W INVENTOR I lldward J. Shea,

BY m 5.1:; flu

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES I PATENT v OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in hinge locks such as those used in building construction, fixtures, and furniture and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrange- 5 ments herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a lock for hinges which will prevent the pivotal movement of parts which are hinged together when it is desired to maintain the parts in rigid rela tion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hinge lock which is simple in construction, easily operated, and which will positively hold the parts in rigid relation when in the locked position and which-will not interfere with the normal operation of the hinge when in unlocked position.

A further object is to provide a device of the kind in which the locking means is substan-' tially concealed when in the locked or unlocked position so as to give to the hinged members unobstructed surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be easily locked and unlocked with a minimum of,

effort.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hinge provided with my improved locking mechanism,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing tw hinged members locked together, v

, Figure 3 is'a sectionalong theline 3-3 of Figure 2, and r A I Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing the hinged members in open position with the looking member raised.

The hinged lock is especially adaptable for drop-leaf tables. In the drawing I have shown a table top I which is provided with a drop-leaf 2. As will be seen from Fig. 3 I provide a hinge having hinge leaves 3 and 4 connected to a common pintle 5 and held to the respective members by screws 6. The hinge leaves 3 and 4 as will be seen are provided with cut-away or rabbeted portionsto form channels I and 8, respectively,

Pivotally secured to the hinge leaf 3 at 9 is a locking member or clip which I have. indicated in general at In. This locking member consists of a piece of metal preferably U-shape in cross vmember to pivot about the point 9.

section and having a cut-away portion H on that side of the locking member next to the hinge leaf.

In installing the hinge a space I is provided suflicient to permit the inner end of the locking The opposite end of the locking member is slightly extended as shown at III.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. Normally the drop-leaf 2 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the locking member is usually in the horizontal position such as that shown in Fig. 2 in which it is substantially flush with the table top. Now, when it is desired to raise the drop-leaf and maintain it in registration with the table top, the locking member-is raised to its vertical position by placing the finger underneath the extension Ill and lifting it. The drop-leaf together with its hinge leaf 4 is now brought into position in registration with the table top and the locking member is then lowered so that the U-shaped arms straddlethe inner ends of the hinge leaves 3 and 4 in the manner shown in Fig. 3. r The drop-leaf is thus held in rigid relation with the table top.

the table. It will be observed that in the locked position the locking member is flush with the preferably made of metal but it may be made of any suitable material without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. .The combination with a table top having a drop-leaf, of a hinge connecting said top with said leaf comprising a pair of leaves joined together by a pintle, the pintle being disposed on the underside of the body and'drop-leaf when the latter is in position parallel to the table top, said leaves terminating short of the upper surface of the table top and the extension, and a locking member pivotally secured to one of said leaves, said locking member being of U-shaped cross section and movable to a position to straddle both leaves so as to lock the drop leaf in a position parallel with the table top, the central portion of the locking member being flush with the upper surface of the table top and with the upper surface of the extension when they are in locked relation. V

2. The combination with a table top having a and movable to a position to straddle said abutting reduced portions so as to lock the dropleaf in a position parallel with the table top, the central portion of the locking member being flush with the upper surface of the table top and with the upper surface of the extension when they are in locked relation.

3. The combination with a table top having a drop-leaf, of a hinge connecting said top with said leaf comprising a pair of leaves joined together by a pintle, the pintle being disposed on the underside of the body and drop leaf when the latter is in ,position parallel to the table top, said leaves terminating short of the upper surface of the table top and the extension and having cut-away portions to provide channels. and a locking member pivotally secured to one of said leaves, said locking member being of U-shaped cross section and consisting of a central member arranged to bear on the ends of the leaves and of a thickness to bring the upper portion of the central member flush with the upper surface of the table top and with the drop-leaf and the side members of the U-shaped locking member being of a size to completely fill the channels.

from the edges thereof,'spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness of the rabbeted edges of the leaves and fitting the rabbeted seats when the leaves are in close contact, whereby the surfaces of the table and drop leaf are held in unobstructed alinement.

5. A hinge for drop leaf tables or the like comprising two fiat leaves of uniform size and thickness adapted to be secured to the table and to its drop leaf, a pivotal connection uniting two adjacent edges of said leaves, each leaf having a rabbeted seat on its outer surface extending along the free edge thereof, and a locking clip comprising a back member of substantially the width of the combined thickness of the two leaves below the rabbeted seats, and having two parallel side members depending from the edges thereof, each member being of a thickness substantially to fit the rabbeted seats when the leaves are in close contact, and said members spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness of the rabbeted edges thereof, whereby the surfaces of the table and drop leaf are held in unobstructed alinement.

EDWARD J. SHEA. 

